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Effects suitable for bass

O

over_the_moon

Guest
Jan 19, 2010
175
2
#1
How can you tell if an effect pedal is suitable for bass? Some pedals are labeled specifically for bass, others have separate inputs for bass, while others don't mention bass at all. Is it a buy-it-and-try-it kind of thing, is there a rule of thumb to go by (e.g. delays and compressors are always suitable for bass whereas distortions and modulators are not unless labeled as such), or should you just not buy a pedal that does not say it is suitable for bass?

Thanks!
 
#2
It really does vary. If it's not specifically labeled for bass, the best thing to do is find reviews and see if any bass players mention using them and liking the results.

In general, I think digital delays are ok for just about anything. After that, it's a crap shoot ...
 
#3
over_the_moon said:
Is it a buy-it-and-try-it kind of thing
Click to expand...

Yes. This is pretty much it. Also, read around on this forum. There's a lot of information about which effects are suited for bass.

OD/Distortion/Fuzz pedals are renowned for being the worst offenders when it comes to low-end loss so you should definitely try those before you buy. There are various effects types that are usually bass friendly (delay for example), but there can still be exceptions.

In conclusion:

1) Read up on the subject. A lot.

2) Try before you buy whenever you can.


:bassist:
 
#10
Phasers also seem to work well for either bass or guitar.

With the previous post mentioning fuzz and loss of bottom end, it's because these pedals tend to boost/cut certain frequencies as well as applying the effect. There are an enourmous range of different effects and times each effect by about 100 for the actual brands and models you can get and it's really hard to give a definitive answer.

Best thing to do is try them yourself AND read some reviews on the desired effect. Chances are if a typical effect isn't suitable for bass and guitar there'll be a bass version for it (like the Big Muff for example). But there are always exceptions and people will use things that typical won't "work" to get new and interesting sounds out of them.
 
#12
One way to see if the pedal in question is bass-frinendly would be to look for reviews on this forum. There is usually at least one (if not more than one) person who has given reviews on any given pedal in the past with regards to bass.

Other than that, it would have to be a "try it for yourself" type of thing. Generally speaking, most pedals that were designed with bass in mind will work with a bass guitar, and most pedals that were designed for guitar can work for bass, but may not work the best for bass (may cut some low end out).
 
#14
Sure does. I own (and am selling off) the Maxon version of this. Works great for bass, but is a little more subtle than other choruses (chori?). This, of course, is not necessarily a bad thing.
 
#16
SoonerMatt said:
Most pedals will work. Distortion/OD/fuzz needs to be bass-tailored and will usually have the word "bass" in their name.
Click to expand...

Erm...

Electro-Harmonix Big Muff
Maestro Brassmaster
Sola Sound Tone Bender
Ibanez Tube Screamer
Boss DS-1
Lovetone Big Cheese
Vox Superfuzz

These, and many more, I have seen used on bass. What matters is not whether it's a "bass" pedal or not, but if it retains or can be set up to retain an acceptable amount of low end, i.e. using a blending looper.

Don't read the labels, go with what your ears tell you.
 
#17
FreaqyFrequency said:
Erm...

Electro-Harmonix Big Muff
Maestro Brassmaster
Sola Sound Tone Bender
Ibanez Tube Screamer
Boss DS-1
Lovetone Big Cheese
Vox Superfuzz

These, and many more, I have seen used on bass. What matters is not whether it's a "bass" pedal or not, but if it retains or can be set up to retain an acceptable amount of low end, i.e. using a blending looper.

Don't read the labels, go with what your ears tell you.
Click to expand...
To be fair, the Big Muff is specifically one of the Russian models as they have different circuitry from most others.

The Brassmaster was also made for bass (its full name is the Maestro Bass Brassmaster) and comes with a built-in blend (bass and fuzz volume controlls). However, this one sounds awesome with bass or guitar. :D

However, I will agree that there are many different pedals out there that are not intended for bass, but are still used to awesome effect. :D
 
#20
FreaqyFrequency said:
Erm...

Boss DS-1


These, and many more, I have seen used on bass. What matters is not whether it's a "bass" pedal or not, but if it retains or can be set up to retain an acceptable amount of low end, i.e. using a blending looper.

Don't read the labels, go with what your ears tell you.
Click to expand...

The Boss DS-1 generally needs mods to work well with bass.
 

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